Easier -
Patriotism is a love of and loyalty to one's
country. A patriot is someone who loves, supports,
and is prepared to serve their country.

Harder - The word
patriotism comes from a Greek word meaning
fatherland. For most of history, love of fatherland
or homeland was an attachment to the physical
features of the land. But that notion changed in
the eighteenth century, when the ideals of
democracy, socialism, and communism strongly
emerged into political thought. Patriotism was
still a love of one's country that included
connections to the land and people, but then also
included its customs and traditions, pride in its
history, and devotion to its welfare.

Today most people agree that patriotism also
involves service to their country, but many
disagree on how to best perform such service. Some
believe that the national government speaks for a
country; therefore, all its citizens should
actively support government policies and actions.
Others argue that a true patriot speaks out when
convinced that their country is following an unwise
or unjust action.

You'll find that most of our links focus on
patriotism in the United States, but we've also
tried to identify key websites related to other
countries including Canada. Let us know if you have
other links that should be considered.

Compare and Contrast Nationalism
and Patriotism. Identify the
similarities and differences

between nationalism and patriotism.
Put your findings into a chart or graph
using software like

Inspiration,
Illustrator, or other graphic
software package.

Take a Different View. What is
it like to be a partriot in a different
country from your own? Take the
perspective of a person living in another
country. Would you consider the citizens
of this country patriotic? Why or why not?
How do they show their patriotism?

President Lincoln followed Edward Everett's two
hour address from the podium. Four-score and
seven years ago, Lincoln began his now-famous
speech. He spoke just two minutes and uttered a
mere 272 words. He considered the talk a
failure.

Thomas Paine was an author and revolutionary
activist who took part in three revolutions. John
Adams said: "Without the pen of Paine, the sword of
Washington would have been wielded in vain."
Paine's impact on philosophy and politics helped
mold the age of democratic revolutions and
reverberates down to this day.

In this lesson, students investigate how
increased patriotism as a reaction to national
crisis can serve as both a uniting and a dividing
force. Students discuss their views on the issue
and interview adults representing different
generations to gauge their historical
perspectives.